Jeremy Daugherty

EDT 646 Spring 2006

Article Review Summaries

01-15-06

Robert Hanks reviewed the World is Flat by Thomas Friedman in January of 2005. He was not quite enthusiastic about the new book. While Mr. Hanks praises Friedman’s abilities as a writer and competent conveyer of complex truths, he (Mr. Hanks) repeatedly follows this praise up with criticism of Friedman’s over inclusion of personal viewpoints. I haven’t noticed Friedman’s self inclusion as much as Mr. Hanks, but I do agree with several of the points in his review. For instance Hanks states “He skates over some issues, such as the environmental costs or constraints on globalization: how do we come up with the energy to fuel this new prosperity, and what effect will climate change have?” (Hanks, 2005) This is a crisis that we see small effects of through our gas prices, but what will the real effect be over time? Overall I believe Hanks judiciously brings to light the strengths and weakness of the World is Flat leaving us with a sense that some of Mr. Friedman’s book should be taken with a grain of salt.

Warren Bass reviewed The World is Flat in April of 2005. His review of Friedman’s writing style is very similar to that of Robert Hanks. He states:

“The World Is Flat continues the franchise Friedman has made for himself as a great explicator of and cheerleader for globalization, building upon his 1999 The Lexus and the Olive Tree. Like its predecessor, this book showcases Friedman's gift for lucid dissections of abstruse economic phenomena, his teacher's head, his preacher's heart, his genius for trend-spotting and his sometimes maddening inability to take himself out of the frame.” (Bass, 2005)

Bass seems convinced that the book is obsessed with outsourcing of U.S. jobs to India and China. He does not however share Friedman’s optimistic opinion of outsourcing. Bass points out that in all of Friedman optimism he fails to provide a compelling rebuttal for Harvard’s Michael Sandel’s view that outsourcing is a nice name for the ability to hire cheap labor in India.

Bass concludes that while Friedman’s book is “terrifically stimulating” and may inspire readers to start thinking about the effects of globalization, it should not be taken as a prophecy of how events will truly unfold in a world where al-Qaeda roams free.

Reference

Bass, W. (2005). The great leveling. Washington Post Online, Retrieved Jan 13, 2006, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17314-2005Mar31.html.

Hanks, R. (2005). The World is a Gobstopper. arts.telegraph, Retrieved Jan 13, 2006, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2005/05/08/bofri208.xml&sSheet=/arts/2005/05/08/bomain.html.